Cavalry sword; France, 1908

This French postcard (postmarked in 1908) clearly demonstrates the drawback of large-movement cuts!

Some fencing historians credit Patton with introducing the thrust to mounted swordplay. This image proves that the concept of using the point — the reason for using straight-bladed cavalry swords to begin with! — was standard fare in Europe at least a year before the publication of Patton’s Saber Exercise.